Custom Branded Event Structures: Behind Our Gymshark Corporate Event
Custom branded event structures can transform a corporate event into an immersive brand experience, bringing a company’s identity, history and products into the physical environment.
For Gymshark’s internal company day at The Vox in Birmingham, Julia Charles Event Management designed and delivered a series of bespoke installations celebrating the brand’s journey, products and community.
From a statement sculpture inspired by Gymshark’s origins to large-scale product displays and an interactive Polaroid wall, each structure had its own purpose within the event.
In this behind-the-scenes look, we explore how these custom-branded event structures went from initial design concepts to finished installations.
Table of contents:
- The Brief: Creating a Branded Corporate Event Experience
- From Concept to Design: Developing Bespoke Branded Installations
- Custom Event Fabrication: Bringing the Structures to Life
- Bespoke Logo Sculptures and Statement Brand Displays
- Interactive Branded Installations: Celebrating the Gymshark Community
- Installation Day: Bringing the Event Environment Together
- The Finished Gymshark Event Experience
- Where Can Custom Branded Event Structures Be Used?
- FAQs: Custom Branded Event Structures
- Create Custom Branded Event Structures With Julia Charles Event Management
The Brief: Creating a Branded Corporate Event Experience
Gymshark approached us to help create a memorable internal company day, with a particular focus on a personalised retirement (a first for Gymshark) farewell for Chief Technology Officer, John Douglas.
As the first person at Gymshark to retire, and a well-known character across the business, the team wanted to give John a fitting send-off that colleagues could celebrate together.
Working closely with the Gymshark team, we explored ideas for transforming the main foyer into a relaxed, celebratory space, incorporating retirement-themed decorations, personalised touches and photo opportunities.
As the project developed, the brief expanded to include a series of bespoke branded installations celebrating Gymshark’s wider story.
We worked collaboratively with the client to develop and refine the concepts, taking their feedback on board to create designs that reflected the company’s identity, history, products and people.
These included a statement sculpture inspired by Gymshark’s early manufacturing roots, a product history timeline, a dedicated hero product display and an interactive community wall.
From the initial retirement celebration concept to the additional branded installations, our role was to work alongside Gymshark to develop the ideas, bring the designs to life and deliver the finished elements for the event.
From Concept to Design: Developing Bespoke Branded Installations
With the wider brief established, we worked with Gymshark to develop a collection of bespoke installations, each designed around a different aspect of the brand.
The creative process involved exploring initial ideas, presenting different design directions and refining the concepts in response to the client’s feedback.
This allowed us to develop installations that were visually distinctive while remaining connected to Gymshark’s identity and story.
Ambitions: A Freestanding Gymshark Sculpture
One of the key concepts was the Ambitions freestanding sculpture, inspired by Gymshark’s origins in making and ambition.
We developed the sculpture at approximately 3.5 metres high, 2.5 metres wide and 0.8 metres deep, giving it the scale to stand out as a statement installation within the event space.
The design incorporated sourced sewing machines and screen-printed frames, arranged in an abstract, stacked composition. This arrangement referenced the company’s early manufacturing and printing processes, whilst the overall form also drew inspiration from the Gymshark logo.
Rather than simply reproducing an oversized logo, the concept brought together elements of the brand’s history and identity to create a distinctive physical installation.
Product History: Telling the Brand’s Story Through Display
The Product History installation was designed to showcase Gymshark’s evolution through its products.
Individual mannequins, displayed on white painted plinths, represented defining product moments from different years. Arranged in a sequential format, the display created a visual timeline charting the company’s progression from early innovation to refined performance.
This approach turned the products themselves into the storytelling element, allowing guests to explore the brand’s development through a carefully arranged display.
Hero Product: A Large-Scale Display Cabinet
For the Hero Product installation, we developed a premium display concept to showcase Gymshark’s key collections and create a striking focal point within the event space.
The bespoke structure featured a large clear Perspex cabinet with black wool serge used to cover the internal backing wall, creating contrast behind the products, while graphic lettering applied inside the cabinet reinforced the Gymshark branding.
The combination of scale, materials and integrated graphics created a prominent product showcase, giving the featured collections their own dedicated space within the event.
People: An Interactive Values Community Wall
The People installation was developed as an interactive Polaroid Values Community Wall, designed to celebrate Gymshark’s employees and bring its community into the event.
We explored different design options before working with the client to refine the concept. The selected design featured two freestanding black mesh wire screens, joined in the centre to create a shared display.
Guests were invited to take a photograph using an Instax Mini camera, attach it to the wall and add a note sharing a fun fact or the department they worked in.
This created an interactive installation that grew throughout the event, bringing together photographs and personal messages from across the Gymshark team. It also provided a fun, informal photo opportunity and a visual celebration of the people behind the brand.
Custom Event Fabrication: Bringing the Structures to Life
Once the concepts had been developed and agreed with Gymshark, the next stage was bringing the designs into production.
Each installation required a different combination of materials and construction techniques, depending on its size, appearance and intended purpose.
The Ambitions sculpture was built around a timber structure, with a counterweighted base providing freestanding support.
The Product History display used individual white-painted plinths and mannequin stands, while the Hero Product cabinet was fabricated from clear Perspex, with black wool serge backing and integrated graphic lettering.
The Community Wall was constructed using two black-sprayed mesh wire screens, joined in the centre and fitted with freestanding feet.
This variety demonstrates the flexibility of custom event fabrication. Rather than working around standard hired products, bespoke structures can be developed to suit a particular creative concept, with materials, dimensions and finishes selected to achieve the intended result.
Explore our event production services to find out more about how we bring event concepts to life.
Bespoke Logo Sculptures and Statement Brand Displays
Large-scale brand props can create striking focal points within an event, particularly when they interpret a company’s identity in a more creative way.
The Ambitions sculpture demonstrated how a company’s identity can be interpreted through a bespoke physical structure, rather than simply reproducing its logo as a standalone prop.
The Hero Product cabinet provided a contrasting approach, using a clean, contemporary display to make the featured collections the focus.
Together, these installations show how bespoke logo sculptures, product displays and large-scale brand props can serve different purposes within the same event environment.
The same principles can be applied to product launches, exhibitions and experiential marketing campaigns, where custom structures help communicate a brand’s identity and create a recognisable physical presence.
For further inspiration, read our guide to unique ways to make your branding stand out.
Interactive Branded Installations: Celebrating the Gymshark Community
Not every branded event structure needs to be a static display. Interactive installations give attendees an opportunity to contribute to the environment and become part of the experience.
Gymshark’s People installation demonstrated this approach, turning a simple photo opportunity into a shared activity that encouraged employees to take part and connect with one another.
These types of experiential photo opportunities can be particularly effective at internal company events, where installations can reflect the people, culture and shared identity of an organisation. They also create something that develops throughout the event, rather than remaining a purely visual feature.
Installation Day: Bringing the Event Environment Together
With several large-scale structures involved, installation required coordination ahead of the live event.
The different installations needed to be delivered and positioned within the venue ahead of guest arrival. This included the freestanding sculpture, product displays and community wall, each with its own footprint and construction requirements.
The project also involved coordinating delivery, onsite setup and post-event collection, ensuring each structure was in place ahead of guest arrival.
Considering these practical requirements is an important part of custom event production. Our event management services help coordinate the logistics involved in bringing the finished event environment together.
The Finished Gymshark Event Experience
Alongside the bespoke branded installations, we also delivered a separate closing activation to celebrate the retirement of John Douglas, Gymshark’s Chief Technology Officer.
As the first person at Gymshark to retire, and a well-known character across the business, the occasion called for a personal send-off that colleagues could enjoy together.
Following the final conference break, the main foyer was transformed into a relaxed party space, complete with balloon arches, silver and retirement-themed balloons, personalised face cut-outs, banners and bunting. Drinks stations featured additional decorative touches, helping create a fun and informal atmosphere for the celebration.
This was another part of the wider Gymshark event experience, bringing together bespoke brand installations and personalised event styling to create a memorable day for employees.
Where Can Custom Branded Event Structures Be Used?
The Gymshark company day is one example of how bespoke structures can be used to bring a brand into a physical event environment.
The same approach can be adapted for a range of occasions, including:
- Corporate events: Create branded focal points, product displays and installations that reflect company culture and identity.
- Product launches: Showcase new collections through custom display cabinets, branded plinths and statement structures.
- Brand activations: Encourage interaction through experiential installations, photo opportunities and audience participation.
- Exhibitions and trade shows: Use bespoke structures to create distinctive exhibition environments and communicate key brand messages.
- Awards and gala dinners: Incorporate branded scenic elements, statement backdrops and custom-designed displays.
- Festivals and promotional events: Bring a brand to life through large-scale props, interactive installations and creative event environments.
Whether the requirement is a single bespoke logo sculpture or a complete branded event environment, the design can be developed around the intended audience, venue and purpose.
FAQs: Custom Branded Event Structures
Custom branded event structures are purpose-designed physical installations created around a company’s identity, products or messaging. Examples include bespoke logo sculptures, product display cabinets, branded backdrops, interactive walls and large-scale event props.
Unlike standard event décor, these structures are developed to meet a specific creative brief and can incorporate individual branding, materials, dimensions and finishes.
Yes. Bespoke event structures can incorporate a company’s logo, colours, products, visual identity and wider brand story.
The Gymshark Ambitions sculpture, for example, referenced the company’s early manufacturing processes through sourced sewing machines and screen-printed frames, while the Hero Product cabinet used integrated graphic lettering to reinforce its brand messaging.
Bespoke branded installations can be used across corporate events, product launches, exhibitions, trade shows, experiential marketing campaigns, company celebrations and promotional events.
They can create statement focal points, showcase products, communicate brand stories or provide interactive experiences for attendees.
Create Custom Branded Event Structures With Julia Charles Event Management
From initial creative concepts to fabrication, delivery and installation, Julia Charles Event Management can help bring bespoke branded event ideas to life.
Whether you’re planning a corporate event, product launch, exhibition or brand activation, our team can develop custom event structures and installations around your objectives and visual identity.
Explore our event design and event production services, or get in touch with the team below to discuss your next project.
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- 10 Unique Bespoke Entertainment and Show Ideas To Elevate Your Event
- The Psychology of Brand Experiences
- Trade Show Entertainment Ideas to Drive Footfall & Engagement
- Exhibition Stands: Elevate Your Brand
- How to Create the Number One Exhibition Stand Design
- Creative Ways to Enhance Your Event Stage Design For Any Space
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